The 49-year-old actor is set to star opposite Ryan Reynolds in the eagerly-awaited Marvel movie, having seen off competition from the likes of Michael Shannon and David Harbour to land the coveted role.

Hollywood heavyweights Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt were also linked to the part of Cable, but Josh has been handed a four-film deal by the studio, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Josh’s on-screen character was co-created by Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld and writer Louise Simonson, and has previously been described as being the antithesis of the movie’s central character.

Interestingly, Josh already plays Thanos in the Marvel Studios movies and is set to appear in Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.

And having picked up a second role with the studio, his soon-to-be co-star Ryan has joked about the unusual scenario on Twitter.

The 40-year-old star quipped: “The f**k, Fox! You can’t play 2 characters in the same universe!! Josh Brolin was in Sicario and I was in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. (sic)”

The fuck, Fox! You can't play 2 characters in the same universe!! Josh Brolin was in Sicario and I was in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. pic.twitter.com/AQCRp1aWKg

Emma Loggins is the Editor in Chief of FanBolt. As an internationally recognized "Geek Girl", Emma updates daily on the latest entertainment news, her opinions on current happenings in the media, screening/filming opportunities, inside scoops and more. She’s been writing on the world of geekdom and pop culture since 2002 and is also considered to be one of the top Atlanta bloggers and influencers!